TRANQUIL NEST
THANDIKUDI, DINDIGUL DIST.
USP: Back to Nature
Looking for peace of mind? Your search ends atop this small hillock (1,600 m) in the eastern range of the Western Ghats. The 22-acre estate resembles a tranquil nest.
It was in this obscure little village in the crest of the Palani Hills that Rajapalayam-based couple Sunetra and Ravi found their calling. It is never easy to construct on a rocky terrain, but Sunetra and her father, Ram Mohan Raja, designed the cottages and the landscaping without disturbing Nature. A lot of re-plantation was done to increase the green cover, and, today, the estate boasts lush green coffee plantations, and is home to orange, pepper, banana, avocado, jackfruit, passion fruit and pomegranate groves.
The 500-ft winding pathway is dotted with colourful flower beds, birch and silk cotton trees. The smell of lemon grass pervades as you walk around. Silence occasionally interrupted by the sweet twitter of birds in the distance and a pleasant temperature of 20 degrees were mood elevators. The wooden cottages with cosy sit-outs are neat, well-furnished and maintained. The suites are provided with a special gazebo for a panoramic view of the valley and the mountains around. Barking deer, gaurs and wild boars abound.
The aesthetically done-up restaurant's ambience blends spectacularly with the greenery around. The property is a bird lover's paradise as a variety of winged visitors, from koels, egrets, eagles and mynahs to spotted doves, magpie robins and red-vented bulbuls are commonly spotted. Since the property is being promoted as a home-stay resort, Sunetra ensures that the food tastes just like at home. Though all three meals are set to a limited buffet, the chef does give some local twist to the daily menu that largely comprises a Continental breakfast and South Indian lunch and dinner.
